The background of the study is a short summary of whatever you have found out about the topic by reading previously conducted research. This is a critical aspect of the research paper and helps readers put in place a context in their head about what is written in the rest of the paper.
What the background does is create justification for conducting your own research and thus takes the reader to the basic objective of the study and its importance in your field. A well written background should make the reader curious. Authors should not confuse it with the literature review or the introduction of the paper and in this article we will see how it differentiates from these two.
Table of Contents
Difference between Background and Introduction
The introduction does not include the purpose of the study and instead only talks about the primary data. Through the evidence provided in the background section, you have to clarify where you are deriving the purpose of the study from. Introduction does not justify your motivation for choosing the topic but talks about it in a broad perspective- it ends with clearly stated research questions, aims, and objectives of the study. Background only talks about all the context of the study presented in a well-written chronological order.
Difference between Background and Literature Review
As the background and literature review both deal with previously conducted relevant research, authors normally get confused about what to include in both of these sections. As the literature review follows the background section in any research paper, it is supposed to give details of the background section. The literature review is actually a thorough description of those articles that you have roughly discussed in the background section. When you have highlighted what has already been done in the past, you can suggest future research and what your aim is.
What the background of the study should include
Now that we have discussed enough what not to include in the background section, let us see what the prerequisites for the background section are:
Define: Start by clearly stating your research topic and identifying the audience. This will help you verbalise it in a manner that is understandable.
Keywords and terms: As most of the readers are not experts in the field of your study, you have to explain all the main keywords and terms included in your research.
Historical data: When historical events or data is mentioned, you should include all the relevant information and do not assume that the audience knows everything.
Explain how the study is unique: In order for the audience to understand and keep reading your paper, they need to know what is special about it. Therefore, it is very important to explain what is new about your study and how it will try to cover the gaps in the previous research.
You should organise the section in such a way that it takes the reader through a journey of the progression on that research topic. After showing the development, you have to talk about the gaps in the knowledge and why it is important to address these gaps. This will define the rationale of your study. Remember to not elaborate too much on the background research because that comes in the literature review.
It is not necessary to make the background section lengthy- a short and concise one for a complex topic is sufficient as well. Keep in mind that going chronologically is important and when there is multidisciplinary research, all the disciplines’ research should be discussed.
Make it interesting
As this is an account of all the information you have gathered, you can view it as a story for the readers. By only focusing on the broader topics, you have to carry this section like a storyteller. All the paragraphs should be coherent and connected to each other. As one idea flows into another, the reader will find it easier to grasp the main crux of your motive to conduct the study.
Mistakes to avoid
- Vague information: When you include information that is ambiguous, you will confuse the reader and they might find it too complicated to go on.
- Irrelevant information: Do not include extra information that is not related to your research. It detracks your audience and makes your rationale look weak.
- Lack of cohesiveness: Always check that all the paragraphs are well in sync.
Conclusion
This is a perfect guide for anyone looking for a starting point for writing their research background. It can get really tough to manage your research paper’s writing process while also dealing with the constant changes and new knowledge so do not hesitate to get help from our writers to help you meet the deadline and get the score you need.
